Somewhere in Time
by Tracy Diane Miller
Summary: Gary learns that the pain of death can never destroy the strength of love. Somewhere in time special love lives on forever.


Somewhere in Time  
  
Summary: Gary learns that the pain of death can never destroy the strength of love. Somewhere in time special love lives on forever.  
  
Disclaimer: Early Edition characters belong to whoever created them. No copyright infringement intended. No profit is being made.  
  
This very short story was written for and is dedicated to Rose. Rose, you continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. God bless you and your family!  
  
The title was inspired by the wonderful and bittersweet movie "Somewhere in Time" starring Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve.  
  
  
  
Author: Tracy Diane Miller  
  
E-mail address: tdmiller82@hotmail.com  
  
  
  
Somewhere in Time  
  
The skies were still black, their dark color mournful and reflective. They had finally stopped crying, though. Maybe they were preparing to allow a little sun to shine through their sorrow. After all, the heavens had just welcomed in a precious soul. The kingdom of God was happy and celebrating the newest angel that entered its home even as sadness washed over the earth.  
  
Gary watched from a distance in quiet reverence as the mourners with their somber faces listened to the priest's words. Grief was presented in people of all ages. The young children were wide-eyed and curious over the priest's sermon imploring them to remember and rejoice over the life of the recently departed. The deceased had been a man that had touched so many lives that everyone assembled, the numerous family and friends, couldn't help but be affected by his passing. But there was one woman whose quiet yet strong face held in the depth of emotion she bravely carried on her petite frame like a proud badge of courage.  
  
Sarah.  
  
Sarah Borelli stared intently at the casket bathed in flowers. She still couldn't believe that he was gone. She had spent her entire adult life loving this man, her wonderful Armando. It was a romance that had survived the Second World War. And it was a love that had been perpetuated through the birth of their five children and two grandchildren. They had been married for over fifty years. Last week, they were excited about the advent of spring. They plotted a daily strategy of walking through the city and soaking in the sights of Chicago. At seventy-nine years old, the Borellis had been an active couple. Long walks, holding hands with their fingers intertwined, and loving gazes and tender kisses were the staple of their marriage. Onlookers seemed amazed by the senior citizens that acted like giddy teenagers. The years had manifested in the wrinkles on their face and white hair, but their love had been timeless. Their love was one of those rare kinds of loves that others might search a lifetime for and never find.  
  
The city had changed so much in the more than fifty years that the Borellis had called the place their home. But she could still remember coming to Chicago with her new husband after the war.  
  
Ashes to ashes, the priest said. She rose from her seat and placed the single rose on Armando's casket.  
  
The mourners began to leave the cemetery. Michael, her eldest son, held onto his mother as they walked towards the car. Gary felt that he shouldn't intrude upon this private moment, upon their grief, but Armando's death was his fault. He needed to talk to Sarah. He needed to.... He didn't know. He needed to say something.  
  
The hero's steps were heavy with guilt as he hurried to catch up to Sarah.  
  
"Excuse me." He said.  
  
She turned around. Her pain-filled eyes locked with the remorse she saw in the young man's beautiful mud green eyes. His eyes...they were...they were so much like Armando's eyes.  
  
"May I...may I talk with you for a moment?" Gary asked politely, his voice cracking with emotion.  
  
Sarah didn't answer. Yet, she saw something in his eyes that begged for understanding.  
  
But Michael looked at the younger man suspiciously. "Look, mister. I don't know who you are, but we just buried my father. I'm going to take my mother home."  
  
"I'm...I'm sorry." Gary stammered.  
  
"No. No, it's okay." Sarah reassured. "Michael, honey, please wait for me at the car. I want to talk to this young man."  
  
"But, Mother."  
  
"Michael, please. Everything's okay."  
  
Michael nodded reluctantly as he walked towards the car. He stole a glance at his mother and at the mysterious stranger.  
  
"You want to talk with me?" Sarah asked Gary.  
  
"Yes, Ma'am."  
  
"Over there." She insisted indicating the spot where her husband's casket lay. She reached for Gary's arm. He gently took her arm and led her over to the gravesite.  
  
Her fingers touched the casket. "Did you know him? My Armando?"  
  
"No, Ma'am. Not really. I mean, I met him a few days ago on Lake Shore Drive."  
  
"A few days ago on Lake Shore Drive? So, you were there when he died?"  
  
Gary swallowed hard. How could he tell the woman before him that he could have prevented her husband's death, but that he had made a choice to save someone else? How could he tell her that because he decided to play God, her husband was dead?  
  
The Paper had two competing stories occurring at almost the same time. At 9:00 a.m., a young boy playing with matches in an apartment on Wacker would be killed in the resulting fire. Then at 9:20 a.m., Armando Borelli would be fatally struck by a car after he pushed a little girl to safety. The neglected little girl had wandered out into the street while her oblivious mother chatted with another woman inside a nearby store. Armando had given his life to save the little girl.  
  
Gary prayed that he would be able to save the child from the apartment fire then make it to Lake Shore Drive in time to prevent Armando's death. But Fate had other plans. He had arrived at the scene just as the car struck Armando. He had removed his leather jacket and covered the elderly man to prevent him from going to shock. Through tortured breaths, Armando asked the young stranger whether the little girl was okay. Gary assured him that the child was fine. Then Armando insisted that Gary remove the cross from around his neck. Gary couldn't understand why but he honored the request. "Give this to Sarah and tell her that I love her." Armando said before his eyes closed. He had died at the scene. Later, Gary had learned from Armando's obituary the identity of Sarah and about the funeral.  
  
"Yes, I was with your husband when he died. He asked me to give this to you." Gary removed the item from his jacket and handed it to Sarah.  
  
Tears welled in her eyes. "His cross. I gave him this cross during the war, the night he shipped out for the Pacific. I wanted him to have something close to his heart that would keep him safe. He told me that he carried me close to his heart and that I kept him safe, but he still promised me that he would wear that cross and never take it off. And he never did."  
  
Gary listened attentively.  
  
" It was 1942. We were so young when we met, just kids really. I was a USO singer in Atlantic City and he was a young naval lieutenant. I remembered the first time that I saw him. He and some of his friends had entered the club where I was performing. I was singing George Gershwin's 'The Man I Love' when this handsome officer took a seat then stared at me the whole time I sang that song. I remembered that I felt so strange. Here I was singing to a crowded room with soldiers and it was as if he and I were the only two people there. I think that he felt it, too. His eyes were so beautiful. Just looking at them made me feel safe and protected. After my set, he came over to me and introduced himself. Lt. Armando Borelli...I remembered my heart just fluttering at the sound of his name. My parents used to tell me that soldiers were after one thing from a girl so that I should never engage in conversation with them and that I should never give them my real name. I always went by my stage name Penelope Maxell. But I felt this connection with Armando so I told him that my real name was Sarah Milano. I think that we must have talked all night. He told me that he was from Indiana and that his father had served in the armed forces during the First World War. His mother was a teacher. He was an only child. The military was in his blood. The only thing he wanted was to serve his country. We only had three days together before he was shipped out. He asked me to marry him and I said yes. My parents thought that I was crazy, but we loved each other and that was all that mattered. My parents didn't approve of the spontaneity of our courtship and marriage, but they helped me with Michael the whole time Armando was gone. We used to write each other long letters and I would enclose pictures of Michael. Michael was nearly three years old when the war ended and he met his daddy. And God blessed us...The Lord made sure that Armando returned home safely from the war and later blessed us with four more beautiful children and two incredible grandchildren." Sarah paused briefly before continuing. "Do you know what happened? I mean, all the police told me was that Armando stepped out in front of a moving car. They made it sound like he was just a careless old man. I really need to know."  
  
A brief silence.  
  
"Mrs. Borelli, your husband wasn't careless. He saved a little girl from being hit by that car. He died a hero."  
  
Sarah smiled through her tears. "Thank you." She whispered.  
  
"I'm sorry that I didn't do more."  
  
"There was nothing you could do. God... I have to believe that God has a plan for Armando up in a heaven."  
  
"I'm sorry for your loss."  
  
Sarah touched the casket again. "Are you married.... I'm sorry I don't know your name."  
  
"It's Gary. Gary Hobson."  
  
"Are you married, Gary?"  
  
"No, Ma'am."  
  
"Well, when you get married, I pray that you'll be able to find the kind of love that Armando and I shared. It's such a special gift, to be blessed with a lifetime of love and marriage to your best friend. No one is able to prepare themselves for the loss of their soul mate, but I know that everyday for the rest of my life that I'll carry Armando in my heart. And I'll see his face whenever I look into the faces of our children. Because of that, our love will never die. And someday we will be together again."  
  
A ray of sunlight burst through the clouds and illuminated Sarah's face. She looked up at the heavens and smiled. She understood. Wherever Armando was up there, he was smiling at her, too.  
  
A long time ago, two kids had discovered each other during the insanity of a war, had fallen in love, and had pledged their hearts to each other. Their love had lasted a lifetime.  
  
And somewhere in time, that love remained even in the face of death.  
  
The End. 


End file.
